Newly chaptered SB 392 authorizes the issuance of a contractor’s license to a limited liability company (LLC), mirroring the provisions regulating contractor’s licenses issued to a corporation. This brings California into conformity with most states, which allow a LLC to hold a contractor’s license. (more…)
Filed under: Business, Legal Topics, New Legal Developments | Tagged: AB 392, contractor, limited liability company, llicensed contractor | Leave a Comment »
As reported in Corporate Counsel, office Halloween parties can be a nightmare for in-house and other employment lawyers. Costume choices can raise various discrimination and harassment issues — consider the “illegal alien” costume or the sexy maid get-up. To keep Halloween fun for all, employers should be proactive, and then reactive when necessary. (more…)
Filed under: Employment Law, Legal Topics | Tagged: Halloween, harassment, sexual harassment, workplace discrimination | Leave a Comment »
As it says in his press release, Governor Schwarzenegger signed Chelsea’s Law, effective immediately, ”to better protect California children from violent sexual predators.” (more…)
Filed under: Criminal Law | Tagged: child molesters, sentencing, sex offenders | Leave a Comment »
As part of your own planning, don’t forget that, as an attorney, you should designate someone to administer your practice if you are suddenly unable to do so. Your death or disability could leave your family members to deal with many tricky issues around your practice, including what happens to client files and funds on deposit in a trust account. Don’t worry though, these problems can be avoided easily and for free with the use of a surrogacy agreement, recently approved by the California State Bar Board of Governors. (more…)
Filed under: Legal Topics, Practice of Law, Estate Planning, Elder Law | Tagged: successor attorney, practice administrator, attorney death or disability | Leave a Comment »
As part of CEB’s commitment to bringing together California’s legal community, our blog will post a short interview with one of your fellow attorneys.
This week, we profile Alex Lubarsky:
CEB: What is your practice area and how did you choose it?
Alex: My firm started as an immigration firm handling deportation defense because I had lived for a period of time in Northern Argentina and learned Spanish. We now offer criminal defense and debtor-side bankruptcy and have grown in the Asian and Russian communities due to attorneys and paralegals who are natives from those areas climbing aboard with us. I am a tech geek and have a concurrent career as an electronic discovery consultant.
CEB: What CEB book or program have you found most helpful in your practice and why?
Alex: California Criminal Law and Procedure – it has clarified what was a new and nebulous area of law. I study it before almost every appearance in the criminal courts. The forms manual companion has saved me (and my client) more than once. (more…)
Filed under: Criminal Law, Legal Topics, Profiles | Tagged: criminal defense, electronic discovery, immigration, Internet law | Leave a Comment »
Law firm and solo attorney websites can be effective ways to reach potential clients, but they also carry risks of ethical violations. To avoid these risks, California attorneys should consider both national and state ethics rules (i.e., Cal Rules of Prof Cond 1-400 and Bus & P C §§6157-6159.2) when designing their websites and corresponding with clients or prospective clients online. (more…)
Filed under: Business, Legal Topics, Practice of Law | Tagged: advertising, attorneys, ethical rules, internet, marketing, website | Leave a Comment »
Do you or your employees check personal email from work computers? Probably so, as most of us do it at least occasionally. Are those personal emails actually private? The law in California is clear that employers can limit or even completely prohibit personal and Internet use on company computers. See TBG Ins. Servs. Corp. v Superior Court (2002) 96 CA4th 443, 452, 117 CR2d 155. But what if the employer does not prohibit employees from making personal use of its computers — does the employee have any expectation of privacy in emails sent from his or her personal email account while on the company computer? (more…)
Filed under: Business, Civil Litigation, Employment Law, Legal Topics | Tagged: email, employee, employer, privacy | 1 Comment »
Governor Schwarzenegger signed into law a bill with new antideficiency protection for foreclosed homeowners, but vetoed another. Interestingly, the governor acted contrary to expectations — the bill he vetoed was widely expected to pass, while the one he signed was considered a sleeper. (more…)
Filed under: Legal Topics, Real Property | Tagged: antideficiency laws, foreclosure, mortgages, real estate | 2 Comments »
Consciously or not, attorneys hold informal expectations of the experts they work with; these expectations concern both the expert witness’ professional approach and personality. Although informal expectations are not included in retainer agreements, they can significantly impact both the quality of the relationship attorneys develop with their experts as well as the outcome of the case. (more…)
Filed under: Civil Litigation, Legal Topics, Litigation Strategy | Tagged: expert witness | 1 Comment »
As part of CEB’s commitment to bringing together California’s legal community, our blog will post a short interview with one of your fellow attorneys.
This week, we profile Jim Martin:
CEB: What is your practice area and how did you choose it?
Jim: My principal practice area involves all aspects of civil appeals and writs in both state and federal courts. I also regularly participate in the strategy, briefing, and argument on the procedural and substantive issues that arise in complex litigation, including class actions. I embraced the appellate specialty because it emphasized research, writing, analysis, and argument and because it gave me the opportunity to work with some very bright and creative lawyers in my firm, each of whom taught me a lot. (more…)
Filed under: Civil Litigation, Legal Topics, Profiles | Tagged: appeals | Leave a Comment »
